As the subject states, I walk into this upscale restaurant for a business lunch (first time in this establishment) and notice toward the rear of the establishment a glass open humidor cabinet!  I'm a bit stunned to even see a humidor in a Southern Kali restaurant in the first place as smoking anything outdoors or indoors in is a silly taboo among many other things out this way.  So I ask the Matradee what gives in regards to the humidor and if they actually have a smoking section somewhere? He tells me every last Sunday of the month they have a cigar brunch on their outdoor patio that the actual owner hosts.  Pretty cool I think to myself and then look over the humidor a bit more and see the all too familiar checkered pattern Behike type box among other Dom and Nic brands.

So as I look into the humidor a bit more, sure enough it's one of those 25 count FAKE BEHIKE boxes I see from time to time and I'm stunned. So I ask the Matradee how much for the BEHIKE 54's (half the box was already sold it appears) and he tells he does not know off hand but the owner was there.  (I think to myself,  "this is going to get interesting")...About 10 minutes later as I'm back at my seat with my guests the owner comes out and greets us and starts to tell us about the Sunday Cigar Brunch and the cigars in the Humidor are all for sale but they give out 2 free cigars with the brunch. Me being me, a straight forward and,honest guy asked him how much for the BEHIKE 54's? He's kinda surprised because I know the size number and tells me "you must know your Cuban cigars".  I kinda chuckle and tell him "yea a little bit".  I then asked him how much for a stick and tell me $25 each. (Heck at least it ain't 5 bucks - LOL). I then told him, BEHIKE's are VERY special cigars and they usually run (nowadays) $800 per box OF TEN.  He then tells me "I guess we're giving some great deals then".  I thought about the company I was with but me being me again, I just blurt out "I think their still too expensive for being fakes". <GULP>

At this point our main dishes were already served so I was a happy there when he asked me what makes you sure they are fakes as his source supposedly just came back from Cuba a few months back...Well I just happen to have my phone with me which catalogs each and every real box I have photographed (many of them here you have seen in the "what ya have lit up" tacky thread above)...So I then show him what real packaging looks like for ALL the BEHIKE 52, 54 and 56's, which are identical with the cardboard outer box, and the felt cover over the beautiful lacquered cabinet. He then goes on to tell me that his source has "connections" out there and he assured me these were authentic. I them asked him to look at the labels (which I could not see too clearly in the dimly lit area at the back of the restaurant) to see if the holograms really are high res holograms and the logos were centered etc.  He said he would then check the labels and hoped we enjoyed the lunch.

Damn, the crab cakes were sure good and REAL crab! ...

P.S. No I did not take any pics of the box of BEHIKE's...I should have done that before the owner came out, but no way these were the real deal.

Can cigars be imported from Cuba now?  I must have missed something, and if so then I need to get caught up!

The visitations rules have opened up a great deal with now your allowed to visit Cuba if you fall into a certain category.  About 12 or so categories from people to people, educational, etc. Another words, it's getting pretty easy to go and some cruise ships since this last May are traveling there along with many airlines as of September 1st. Some already are flying there.

With that said, you're allowed to bring back $100 worth of tobacco products, but it appears lately that $100 is bringing back a lot of smokes...

Unless it's changed, I think it's still only $100 for both tobacco and alcohol. https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/36/~/importing-cuban-cigars

It was not, the locale was in Rancho Cucamonga Kali.